21 Day Digital Sabbath Challenge

Everybody loves a good challenge. The ALS website says that more than 17 million people participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge to support ALS and other causes. We all remember this one, how could we not. Pictures like this one showed up on every screen we owned 10, 12 times every day for months.

And this spawned a whole industry of “Charity Challenges”. Everything from this website where I found 192 different REAL physical challenges you can do for charity. Anyone up for trekking for 11 days in the Himalayas and visiting the Dalia Lama for charity? If so, after you have finished this blog, go to this website and check it out. (https://www.charitychallenge.com/choose-your-challenge.html)

A good challenge? It makes us feel good to overcome something, to learn in the process, and to give something back to others. It’s cool. Even the definition of the word challenge is cool. Oxford defines challenge as, “A call to someone to participate in a competitive situation or fight to decide who is superior in terms of ability or strength”

It is in this spirit that we at Q4 Consulting are issuing this 21 Day Digital Sabbath Challenge!

We all have the sense that we are connected to many people and things, but are never creating real, authentic connections.

So, we at Q4 are issuing the following challenge to you. For the 21 days, beginning on Monday the 16th of May and continuing until Sunday the June 5th you are challenged to refrain from technology:

For a minimum of 60 consecutive minutes each day

No Phone

No laptop

No tablet

No TV

Nothing that has to do with being connected to the information grid.

Must be during a time you would normally be awake and connected. No fair being a teacher who would be teaching a class, or normally doing another, mandatory action where you would not have access to technology.

During these hours of the Sabbath Challenge, power naps are allowed, but not every day.

What is a Sabbath anyhow? What should I do?

The original definition of Sabbath is from the Hebrew Bible and it is, “The Sabbath is primarily a day of rest and spiritual enrichment. The word Shabbat (Hebrew for Sabbath) comes from the root Shin-Beit-Tav, meaning to cease, to end, or to rest.”

To cease, to end, or to rest. I love that…but I would like to add the following:

To Pause

To Re-Charge

To Connect

Should you accept our Challenge, we will provide you with a 21 Day Digital Challenge Kit. The Kit will include the following:

A 17 question self-survey to assess your technology habits and then observe what happens over the course of the Digital Challenge.

Link to 3 Videos to watch in preparation for the Challenge (Yes, technology is a useful tool when used w

ith full awareness).

A Daily Sabbath Diary. This will be used to journal your experiences during the Sabbath. Weekly Prizes will be given for the best stories sharedwith Q4. What would a Challenge be without a competition?

Free access to Q4’s Collected Essays on unplugging and pausing.

Ideas of activities and hints for how to Connect with yourself, others and your surroundings.

Access to a Forum of all those participating in the Challenge, so you will have the privilege to learn from each other, share experiences and look for support.